Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has compared a government letter sent to families and pensioners telling them about carbon tax compensation to a "Nigerian lottery scam".

The Labor government has begun rolling out family payments and pension rises, coupled with an advertising and information campaign, ahead of the start of the carbon pricing scheme on July 1.

Mr Abbott said the campaign smacked of propaganda.

"The last time most people got a letter like that it was from a Nigerian lottery scam," he told told reporters in Queanbeyan on Thursday.

Mr Abbott also made a joke of his decision on Wednesday to run from the House of Representatives chamber when MP Craig Thomson, who has been suspended from the ALP and sits as an independent, voted with the coalition against a government motion.

"I think it's important to be prepared to run in support of your principles," Mr Abbott said.

"I look forward to keeping on doing that."

He said the government's energy was focused on a "kind of parliamentary childishness".

"What it shows is the current government is very clever at politics but absolutely hopeless at government," he said.

"They want to see a political party in government that is good at government and lets the politics look after themselves."

It sure sounds like the dimwitted sort of spin Abbott keeps coming up with.Has Abbott ever told the complete truth about anything?

Why single him out for this?

Im pretty sick to death of both of them and the sooner both Gillard and Abbott leave politics the better off we'll all be.Its all lies and spin piled on top of lies and spin...the Aussie public deserve better.